Biodiversity offsetting under the Resource Management Act Summary document
21 September 2017
New Zealand is a biodiversity ‘hotspot’. It has a high proportion of globally unique plants and animals. But its indigenous biodiversity is in crisis. Many of the country’s native species and ecosystems are threatened or at risk of extinction, and the pressures of land and water use and development count among the most prominent causes. Under the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA), many activities involving the use or development of New Zealand’s land or water require a resource consent from a council. Any adverse effects on the environment brought about through these activities must be avoided, remedied or mitigated to ensure the sustainable use of natural resources.